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     Table of Contents Chapter 32 32.4.2 Imperative with -e
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Chapter 32: Imperative

  32.4.2 Imperative with -e

In certain cases the imperative in the second person has an -e for the very simple reason that otherwise the word would be very hard to pronounce. This is the case when the root ends on an more than one consonant + m or n.

  Some examples
Infinitive root imperative
second singular		 imperative
first plural 		imperative
second plural
 imperative
formal singular
 imperative
formal plural
  rechnen rechn- rechne rechnen wir rechnet rechnen Sie rechnen Sie
  calculate let us calculate calculate calculate calculate
  atmen atm- atme atmen wir atmet atmen Sie atmen Sie
  breathe let us breathe breathe breathe breathe
   

You surely understand that without this -e this imperative would be hard to pronounce.

Try to say:  
  difficult: rechn, atm  
  easy: rechne, atme  

To make clear why we said when the verb is ending on an m or n after another more than one consonant we show some other examples. These are easy to pronounce even without this -e.

  Examples
Infinitive root imperative
second singular		 imperative
first plural		 imperative
second plural
 imperative
formal singular
 imperative
formal plural
  sich kämmen kämm- kämm dich kämmen wir uns kämmt euch Kämmen Sie sich Kämmen Sie sich
  brush your hair let us brush our hair brush your hair brush your hair brush your hair
  lernen lern- lern lernen wir lernt Lernen Sie Lernen Sie
  study let us study study study study
   

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